Columnist Spencer Patterson: These 3 local programs are true dynasties

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999 | 11:06 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's prep sports column appears Thursday. Reach him at 259-4085 or spencer@vegas.com

The word "dynasty" gets thrown around so often these days in sports, it's hard to separate teams deserving of that label from those that are not.

Here in Las Vegas, there's no doubt that three of the fall season's prep programs clearly fall into the former category.

For much of the 1990s, Bishop Gorman's girls tennis team and Green Valley's boys tennis and girls golf teams have been among the most dominant squads in any sport during the state's history.

The Gael girls have been a model of consistency on the courts, winning seven state titles in eight years, including the past three. The Gators have been just as strong on the boys courts, capturing the past five state titles.

And the Gator golfers have literally been unbeatable for the past five years, winning a state title in each season and running their match winning streak to a whopping 103 straight.

Making their accomplishments even more impressive is that they have occurred during a period of unprecedented growth in Las Vegas, with talented athletes enrolling at schools throughout town on an annual basis.

Certainly, their success is not completely surprising. Gorman and Green Valley are two of the most affluent schools in Southern Nevada, so dominance in the so-called "country club" sports is to be expected to an extent.

But streaks such as these, which extend beyond the careers of one, two or three classes of athletes deserve their place in history, especially with all three programs in danger of losing their grip on their titles.

With four seniors among its top five players, Green Valley's girls golf team could be hard-pressed to keep its string of victories alive, despite the return of 1999 state individual champion Christine Fernandez.

The Gator boys tennis squad also loses several key seniors, including its Nos. 2 and 3 singles players and three of its top four doubles players.

And the Gorman girls tennis team graduates much of this year's roster, including individual state singles champion Jennifer Kuhle.

In all three sports, the rest of Las Vegas crept a bit closer to the champs the fall, a sign the 2000 season could be much more competitive. Then again, based on their accomplishments to this point, it might be foolish to count any of the three out anytime soon.

* POLL WATCHING: Undefeated Las Vegas finishes the season ranked No. 1 in the Sun's weekly state-wide prep football poll. Northern favorite McQueen remained No. 2 with an easy 37-6 win over Galena, while Elko took advantage of Cimarron-Memorial's week nine loss to move into the No. 3 slot with a 44-8 victory over Hug. In other northern action, No. 5 Wooster got past Reno, 20-13, No. 7 Reed needed overtime for a 24-23 win over area rival Sparks and South Tahoe fell to Utah's Northridge High, 30-17.

Bonanza's boys and Green Valley's girls remained No. 1 in this week's Cross Country Coaches Association polls. Trailing the Bengals are Basic, Boulder City, Durango and Green Valley on the boys side.

In the girls poll, Durango, Boulder City, Bonanza and Basic round out the top five.